John G. Paton, Missionary to the New Hebrides. An Autobiography, Edited by His Brother. [Two volumes]

New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1889. Hardcover. Very Good. Hardcover. John Gibson Paton (1824-1907) was born in Scotland. He was ordained by the Reformed Presbyterian Church in 1858, and he and his wife landed on the island of Tanna, in the southern part of the New Hebrides, later that year. In those days the natives of Tanna were cannibals. Three months after their arrival, Mary Paton delivered a son. Within a few weeks, Mary died from tropical fever and their son also died at only 36 days of age. Paton subsequently returned to Scotland to raise more support for his mission, and in 1864 in Scotland he remarried. He and his second wife returned to New Hebrides and spent many challenging years attempting to convert the population to Christianity. Their efforts were rewarded when the entire island of Aniwa professed Christianity, and when Paton saw his Aniwa New Testament printed In 1899. His brother, Revered James Paton published a biography of John G. Paton in 1889, and also edited this autobiography of Paton (in two parts) , which was also published in 1889. The Fleming H. Revell Company was established in 1870 by Christian Evangelist D.L. Moody and his brother-in-law, Fleming H. Revell. The two men identified a market for practical books that would help bring the Christian faith to everyday life. No date of publication is listed in either volume, but a gift inscription on the free front endpaper is dated August 1891, indicating that this is an early edition. Octavo. Brown cloth-covered boards with gilt decoration on each front cover and gilt title on each spine. Minor wear to edges of covers and spines. Spines are slightly cocked. Foxing on front and rear endpapers of both volumes. Text blocks are yellowed, but clean and clear. TRAVEXP/062025.